atoning Righteousness 2. They who say it 's by Faith alone that we apply this Righteousness do also grant that Faith is not alone in the person to whom God applies the Righteousness of Christ and when they apply it to themselves Repentance Love c. are Concomitants with Faith And they who think we are justified by Works as they think its God's applying Christ's Righteousness to us and not our applying it to our selves that is the great justifying Act so they grant God justifieth us as soon as we repent and believe with the heart and suspends not a justified State till Works meet for Repentance or the Effects of Faith are produced yea should a man dy then he would be certainly saved 3. They who say it s by Faith alone acknowledg that justifying Faith will certainly produce good Works and if good Works and persevering Holiness do not follow it was a dead Faith and because dead it never was a justifying Faith however men flatter'd themselves Also that Mens Faith tho not their Persons is justified by their Works yea the most Judicious own that if Sin should reign in Believers and they apostatize they would be condemned tho the Promise of Perseverance make that impossible and therefore persevering Holiness and good Works so far continue their justification as they prevent what would bring them into Condemnation and Faith is the Condition of the Continuation of Justification See Dr. Owen of Iustification p. 207 208 306. On the other hand they who say we are justified by Works do account Works to be no more but the executing the foederal consenting Act of Faith and so its Faith exerting it self by various occasions and considering that the Believer's not only forgiving his Enemies but his persevering in Faith and Holiness are plain Conditions in many Promises made thereto and God pronounceth to Believers that he will have no pleasure in any Man who drawerh back and he shall die if Sin reigneth in him Heb. 10. 38. Rom. 8. 13. Mat. 6. 14 15. They conceive that by Perseverance in Faith and true Holiness they are kept from being chargeable with final and total Apostacy and from Obnoxiousness to the Evils denounced by the Gospel against Apostates as such and are adjudged to be under the Influence and Safeguard of the Promises made to Believers as persevering nevertheless they abhor a thought that Perseverance in Faith and Holiness or any good Work is any meriting Righteousness or the least Compensation for Sin or entitling Price of the least Benefit nor exclude they the need of multiplied and continued Pardon or make they any Blessing due of Debt but they rely wholly on Christ's Merits for these things as the only procuring Cause tho they are affected and governed by these places of God's Word which are directed to Believers as part of his Rule of Iudgment well knowing that whatever Sentence the said Words pass in this Life God executes in part now and more at Death but at the great Day it will be solemnly pronounced and perfectly executed These respective Concessions duly weighed secure those who say we are justified by Faith alone from the danger of Licentiousness and those who say we are justified by Works also from detracting from the Honour of Christ's Righteousness as having the sole meriting atoning Virtue and Efficacy in Justification and do not only grant Perseverance but think these conditional Promises and Comminations are apt and designed means of it in Subjects capable of moral Government and whose Warfare is unaccomplished However such different Sentiments may appear to others I lay so little stress upon them that I had not thought it worth my labour to have printed a Sheet against any man who confessed the necessity of saving Faith as described in the Gospel to Justification Repentance and Love still accompanying that Faith in the Object on whom God's justifying Act doth terminate and the Uneffectualness of Faith to save any who neglected to perform good Works and to persevere in Faith and Holiness Such as granted but these things I had never wrote against for scrupling the conditional respect of them to the Gospel-Law But Dr. Crisp's Notions I apprehended dangerous and they so greatly prevailing my Brethren thought my confuting them necessary at that time whereas I had no purpose when I wrote against Dr. Crisp to intermeddle with these other points but some Congregational Brethren in their Attempts against my Book did from a very few occasional Expressions therein accuse us of Socinianism Arminianism and Popery and that they might have some pretence to fix that Charge they turned the Controversy into these lesser Matters whereby I was necessitated either to insist on them however against my Will or else abide under the foresaid severe Imputation to the prejudice not only of my own Ministry but also of most of my Brethren CHAP. VIII An Attempt to accommodate the difference between such as say Christ's Righteousness is imputed only as to Effects and not in se and those of us who think it is imputed in se. FOreseeing an Objection that will be improved against a peaceable Forbearance towards a number however small and that Rigidness may include in that number whomever the Objectors shall disaffect it 's of use to state it Object Granting the forementioned Points to be reduced below a Cause of Dissention yet the Difference cannot be compromised between such as say the Righteousness of Christ is imputed in se for Justification and them who say it is not imputed in se but quoad effectus Answ. I think it may be accommodated at least so far as to cut off just Pretences for hereticating and dividing from each other To which end I will consider these several Opinions and then reduce the difference First Among them who say Christ's Righteousness is imputed in se there be two Opinions most noted and whereto all others are reducible Of both these I have already treated so much that little more is needful 1. Some think the Elect are judicially according to the Law of Works accounted to have done and suffered in Christ all the Law demanded both as the Punishment of Sin and the Merit of eternal Life Such must hold that Christ's Death and Obedience are the formal Righteousness of the Elect and the formal Cause of Justification and that from the first moment of their personal Subsistence yea and except making Christ to be their Representative without any Gift of that Righteousness it being imputed not of Grace but of Legal Iustice as Adam's Obedience had been if he had finally obeyed and his Offence now is upon his sinning There are others who are for this judicial reckoning Sinners to obey and suffer in Christ but they hold they are not adjudged to have done this till they are Believers and then they are legally just before God and as such entitled to eternal Life These speak more safely but less consistently they limit the time from a Conviction that the
whole scope of the Gospel must be contradicted if Unbelievers do not remain condemned and Believers only are justified But yet it seems hard to apprehend that God by the Law of Works accounts the Person of a Believer to have suffered in Christ and therefore to be absolved whom yet he did not account to suffer in Christ while he was an Vnbeliever and therefore condemned him and this by that very same Law which now acquits him I know to make this consist it 's offered that the Elect are not Christ's Seed till they become Believers But this comes short for it will thence follow that Christ in his Death was a strict Representative who personated Believers qua Believers which will induce ill Consequences And yet further it is not true that the Persons of Believers were seminally in Christ when he died as we were in Adam when he sinned and so no Argument can be brought from that Instance I grant that both the Merit and the powerful Virtue whereby our Persons in time obtain Faith were in Christ before we were born but that makes not Christ the Root of our Persons at that time but of that regenerating Virtue whereby we become Believers and therefore tho as to this change of our Qualification we may be called Christ's Seed when we believe yet it 's not such a Seed as it may be said of we suffered in him as we sinned in Adam who was the natural Root of our Persons and thereupon such a Representative as his Descendents sinned in What may be said of Christ's adopting Merit will have no place here for these Authors make Adoption to be an Effect of Justification and so the Imputation is prior 2. There be others who are for imputed Righteousness in se but cannot approve of the former manner of Imputation among whom there is some variety in wording their Conceptions but they come to one and the same thing viz. that God adjudgeth the Believer to be one whose Absolution Adoption and Glory were promised to Christ in Reward of his Death and Obedience by the Covenant of Redemption which are promised also to the Believer himself in the Gospel-Covenant and for his actual Interest and Enjoyment thereof as also Acceptance and Treatment as a righteous Person against all Challenges God judicially accounts what Christ hath done and suffered to be his pleadable Security This we take to be Imputation Secondly By the Opinion of those who say Christ's Righteousness is not imputed in se but only as to Effects they in Expressions oppose all the forementioned account denying that the first Head is true and that the second is any Imputation of Christ's Righteousness in se. Nevertheless they grant that Christ's Righteousness is the meritorious Cause of our Justification by Faith and seem to insist mostly upon its Efficacy to that end as Christ's Satisfaction was the ground upon which God enacted the Gospel-Covenant wherein our Faith tho imperfect is accounted for Righteousness Concerning this Opinion I shall offer a few things 1. None ought to narrow it as if the Authors meant that Pardon and eternal Life are not merited by the Righteousness of Christ for they affirm that these and other Gospel-Blessings are merited by Christ as well as the Gospel-Covenant Pray say not this it 's not only the Covenant it self but those very Blessings which that Covenant conveys that are the merited Effects of Christ's Death and Obedience they were his deserved Rewards which are dispensed to us upon believing This I insert to obviate a Conceit too much improved by some so stupid or worse that they will not own this Distinction and still cry out as if their Opinion confined the Influence of Christ's Righteousness to the procuring of a Law whereby Men were to purchase Pardon and Life by their own Faith Whereas they are so far from this that they affirm these Blessings were already accounted purchased and Authority in Christ to dispense them before he could enact such a Law 2. They intend not to exclude Christ's Righteousness from being imputed in any sense for they say it's imputed quoad effectus and therefore should not be charged to deny all Imputation or represented to say we are pardoned and saved for our own Works without any Imputation of Christ's Death and Obedience at all 3. In all which they affirm concerning Justification they still suppose Christ's complete Satisfaction and are sound therein None can accuse them to differ from the Orthodox as to Christ's expiating Sacrifice or impetration of eternal Life 4. I could wish a very worthy Person of this Opinion would review his own account of Justification wherein he saith it 's that Act whereby God imputes to every sound Believer his Faith for Righteousness upon the account of Christ's Satisfaction and Merits and gives Pardon and Life as the Benefits of it i. e. of Justification which he further explicates Through Christ's Sacrifice the Defects of this Faith which is our Righteousness are pardoned and by his Merits that imperfect Duty is accounted or imputed to us for Righteousness which it is not in it self Had I thus stated this Point I should ask my self Do not I set Pardon too remote from Christ's Sacrifice as the meritorious Cause And how can Pardon be the Effect of imputing Faith for Righteousness which is Justification and yet God cannot impute Faith for Righteousness unless he first pardon its Defects for the sake of Christ's Sacrifice But the cause of my mentioning this Account follows 5. They do affirm what amounts to a real Imputation of Christ's Righteousness in se at least what supposeth this Imputation and infers it to be necessary For how by Christ's Merits can a Righteousness in it self imperfect be reckoned before a just God for our perfect Righteousness and yet those Merits for which it is so reckoned not be imputed at all for Righteousness to us who have that Faith Would Faith be no Righteousness except the Divine Mind did apply the Merits of Christ to Faith to make it a Righteousness upon which I am accounted righteous by this Faith and yet the Divine Mind not apply to me that Righteousness of Christ without which my Faith had left me still unrighteous whereas it seems undeniable as far as Christ's Righteousness is necessary to make my personal Faith my Righteousness in God's account that same very Righteousness is necessary to make my Person righteous in God's account Moreover they own that God promised to Christ in reward of his meriting Sufferings and Obedience that all Believers should be absolved and glorified and can they be adjudged to this Absolution and Glory without a judicial acknowledgment that they are to be absolved and glorified in that Right of Christ which resulted from that Promise made to him And can that be without an Imputation of those Sufferings and Obedience of Christ which are rewarded in that Right of Christ and thereby in those Blessings wherein Believers have this judicially acknowledged
foreknown predestinated and called effectually according to the purpose of his Grace shall fall away either totally or so as not to be finally glorified 5. That Faith Repentance a holy Conversation or any Act or Work whatever done by us or wrought by the Spirit of God in us are any part of that Righteousness for the sake of which or on the account whereof God doth justify any Man or entitle him to Eternal Life Then follows a Testimony against the other Extreams viz. Antinomian Errors Again Anno 1696. in a Paper call'd The second Paper sent to our Brethren we thus give our sense 1. Concerning Iustification That altho the express Word of God doth assert the necessity of Regeneration to our entring into the Kingdom of God and require Repentance that our Sins may be blotted out and Faith in Christ that we may be justified and Holiness of Heart and Life without which we cannot see God yet that none of these or any Work done by Men or wrought by the Spirit of God in them is under any Denomination whatsoever any part of the Righteousness for the sake or on the account whereof God doth pardon justify or accept Sinners or entitle them to Eternal Life that being only the Righteousness of Christ without them imputed to them and received by Faith alone 2. Of a Commutation of Persons between Christ and us As we are to consider our Lord Jesus Christ in his Obedience and Sufferings as God and Man invested with the Office of Mediator so it is apparent this Commutation of Persons with us was not natural in respect of either Nature by which his individual Substance should become ours and ours his nor moral in respect of Qualities or Actions whereby he should become inherently sinful and we immediately sinless nor was it any change whereby his Office of Mediator should be transferred on us but it is to be understood in a legal or judicial sense as we may call it viz. He by Agreement between the Father and him came into our room and stead not to repent and believe for us which the Gospel requires of us as our Duty tho he hath undertaken the Elect shall in due time be enabled thereto but to answer for our Violation of the Law of Works he being made Sin for us that knew no Sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. 3. Of God's being pleased or displeased with Christ as standing and suffering in our stead We judg that God was always pleased with Christ both in his Person and Execution of all his Offices which is exprest most particularly in that of his Priestly Iohn 10. 17 18. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my Life and no otherwise displeased than as having a dispassionate Will to inflict upon him the Punishment of our Sins which he had undertaken to bear that God might without Injury to his Justice or Honour pardon and save penitent Believers for his Satisfaction and Intercession founded thereon Note It was declared that by the words under any Denomination we exclude all Righteousness from being meritorious or atoning yea or a procuring Cause of these Benefits none is at all so but the Righteousness of Christ But we intended not to exclude what the Gospel requireth in order to our Interest in those Benefits given for the sake of Christ's Righteousness We also in 1697 delivered our Iudgment in this Proposal to our Brethren 1. That Repentance towards God is commanded in order to the Remission of Sins 2. That Faith in Christ is commanded by the Gospel in order to the Justification of our Persons before God for the sake of the alone Righteousness of Christ. 3. That the Word of God requires Perseverance in true Faith and Holiness that we may be Partakers of the Heavenly Glory 4. That the Gospel promiseth Pardon through the Blood of Christ to the Penitent Justification before God to the Believer and the Heavenly Glory to such as persevere in Faith and Holiness and also declareth that God will not pardon the Impenitent justify the Unbeliever nor glorify the Apostate or Unholy 5. That justifying Faith is not only a Perswasion of the Understanding but also a receiving and resting upon Christ alone for Salvation 6. That by Change of Person is meant that whereas we were condemned for our Sins the Lord Jesus was substituted in our room to bear the Punishment of our Sins for the Satisfaction of Divine Justice that whoever believes on him may be acquitted and saved but it is not intended that the Filth of Sin was upon Christ nor that he was a Criminal in God's account 7. That by Christ being our Surety is meant that Jesus Christ our Mediator obliged himself to expiate our Sins by his Blood and to purchase eternal Life for all that believe and Faith and every saving Grace for the Elect but it 's not intended that we were legally reputed to make Satisfaction or purchase eternal Life 8. That by Christ's answering for us the Obligations of the violated Law of Works is intended that whereas the Law obliged us to die for our Sins Christ became obliged to die in our stead and whereas we were after we had sinned still obliged to yield perfect Obedience Christ perfectly obeyed the Law that upon the account of his Active and Passive Obedience Believers might be forgiven and entituled to eternal Life but it is not intended that the sense of the Law of Works should be that if we or Christ obey'd we should live and if Christ suffered we should not die tho we sinned nor that Believers are justified or to be judged by the Law of Works but by the Gospel altho the Righteousness for the sake of which they are justified be as perfect as that Law of Works required and far more valuable CHAP. III. The State of Truth and Error published in the Congregational Ministers Declaration against Antinomian Errors about December 1698. Error 1. THat the eternal Decree gives such an Existence to the Justification of the Elect as makes their Estate whilst in Unbelief to be the same as when they do believe in all respects save only as to the Manifestation and that there is no other Justification by Faith but what is in their Consciences Error 2. That the Elect considered as in their natural Estate or as in the first Adam are not under the denunciation of Wrath by the Law as well as other Unbelievers and impenitent Sinners Truth 1. That there is a difference between the state of the Elect whilst in Unbelief and when Believers besides what is manifestative to their Consciences p. 13. Truth 2. That before they believe they are not personally and actually justified in the Court of Heaven p. 13. and none may expect to be pardoned in a state of Unbelief and Impenitence p. 47. Error 3. That pardoned Sin is no Sin and therefore God cannot see Sin in his People to be displeased
all Merits besides Christ's but not exclusively of all governing Methods in applying the effects of Free-Grace They grant Faith in Christ is required that we may be saved we more expresly say it 's by a rectoral Authority they grant it so by the Law of Works we say it 's by a Gospel positive Law tho we grant when this positive Law requireth it we are obliged also by the general Law of Nature to yield Obedience yet not by the Law of Works as specified by Adam's Covenant which Faith in Christ was inconsistent with from the essential Nature of that Covenant Our Brethren are watchful against any inherent Righteousness of man mingling with Christ's Righteousness We besides avoiding of that are solicitous lest men come short of Salvation by the Righteousness of Christ through a neglect of what he requireth in all those who shall be saved by it and yet we declare against all things besides Christ's Righteousness to be any impetrating satisfying atoning meriting or compensating Righteousness and as Faith hath no share or place in this Office so Christ's Righteousness tho the sole meritorious Cause is not that which God by the Gospel requires of Sinners that they may be saved by the Righteousness of Christ. Faith is that commanded Requisite and no more than that its place is thereto confined and therefore here 's no mingling of our Righteousness with Christ's because their Use Place and Offices be so very distinct They seem most afraid of Popery and Arminianism and therefore keep to this sense of being justified by Faith alone viz. we are justified only by Christ believed on or the Object of Faith only is imputed to us for Righteousness We are truly afraid of Popery and Arminianism but not only of these but of Antinomianism too and therefore are intent to maintain two great Truths included in that one Sentence We are justified by Faith viz. 1. That the Believer is absolv'd from Guilt accepted into God's Favour and entituled to eternal Life in and for Christ's Righteousness and neither Faith nor any Grace or Act of ours make the least recompense to God or is the least Price or Merit of Pardon or Life or any motive inclining divine Justice to promise or accept us into his favour or to treat us as righteous Persons This from our heart we own and know that this is what sound Protestants intended by it against the Papists 2. Yet as God promised to Christ in the Covenant of Redemption all Belivers should be absolv'd c. so in the the Gospel Offer of his Grace to Sinners he promised to Men that he would in and for the Righteousness of Christ absolve accept treat as righteous Persons and give eternal Life already purchased by Christ to every true Believer commanding Sinners to believe and threatning that if they believed not they should remain condemned yea become subject to sorer Punishments And that he would judg them by this Gospel Rule of Iudgment Whence we are attentive to a second Truth viz. That God accepts and accounteth Faith a performed Condition of this Gospel-Covenant and upon it acquits the Sinner from the Charge of damning Infidelity and adjudgeth the Believer qua such in opposition to Infidels to be in Christ's Right and by his Gospel Promise entitled to a present personal Interest in the foresaid Absolution Acceptance and Gift of eternal Life yet as procured by Christ's Righteousness alone and applied for his sake To add no more our Brethren in the Doctrine of Justification almost confine their Regards to the Satisfaction of Christ wherein Christ transacted with the provoked Justice of God We besides that consider a propitiated God in Christ applying the effects of his Redemption to Men in a Method of governing Grace but without any real difference in the Doctrine of Satisfaction and withal sincerely granting the Condition is performed in the Strength of Christ freely dispensed Yet upon the whole they provide against carnal Security and we against carnal Boasting They are far from designing to eclipse the Glory of Christ as King Lawgiver and Iudg and we as far from intending the diminution of his Glory as a Priest How unreasonable and unhappy would perpetuated Contests by where the Grounds pretended are of so little weight Thus I have insisted on what seems most like a Difference in the Doctrine of Satisfaction and Iustification Some weak persons may think there is a great Controversy where I see nothing worth our notice they will say Some think we are justified by one Act of Faith viz. Reliance Well but they say justifying Faith is receiving Christ c. as well as a Reliance Ay but a Man sees only with his Eye tho more is of the Essence of a Man But I say no Man sees without that which is of the Essence of his Eye Another thinks justifying Faith as such receives Christ only as a Priest others say it receives him also as a King and Prophet yet the last say the convinced Sinner hath an especial respect to Christ's Priesthood as most agreeable to his present case and the former will say its but an hypocritical Faith that receives not Christ as Prophet and King as well as Priest Nay it s not the true Christ the anointed Messias who is received unless it be as Prophet King and Priest even Christ Iesus the Lord. Ay but some say Repentance is an effect of Iustification but there be very few of our Congregational Brethren of that mind and I suppose they mean Works meet for Repentance and not a change of the purpose of the heart Nay but several say Faith alone is the instrument of Iustification others make Repentance the Condition of Forgiveness What then seeing the first grant there is no justifying Faith without Repentance and the last grant the aptitude of Faith to receive and acknowledg Christ which I suppose they mean by instrument is far greater than Repentance But when both sides consider Faith as an ordained Condition as well as an Instrument they 'l scarce dispute but that Repentance is a Condition of Pardon as well as Faith unless they would agree to join them together by calling Faith a penitent Faith or Repentance a believing Repentance connoting at once a Sinner's purpose to return to God by Christ the Mediator and his closing with Christ the Mediator that he may return to God by him tho I think the end is first agreed to before the way or means to that end is resolved on or made use of Obj. But sure there is a vast difference between those who think we are justified by Faith only and those who think we are justified by Works as well as by Faith Answ. 1. Not so very great when both mean that we are justified neither by Faith nor Works as the word justified is commonly taken for both agree that we are absolved accepted as righteous and entitled to eternal Life only for Christ's Death and Obedience as the only meriting satisfactory and
interest They also abhor a thought that our Faith can be presented to God as any Righteousness in Satisfaction to Justice Atonement for our Sin or the meriting Price of our Salvation withal they grant there must be such a Righteousness and that this was Christ's Righteousness and that our Sins are satisfied for we receive the Atonement are reconciled and obtain the Salvation so purchased Now is it possible that things should stand thus and Christ's Righteousness not be imputed to us Can our righteous Judg declare himself satisfied atoned and reconciled to us Sinners for the Righteousness of Christ and not impute to us that Righteousness in se as what he accounts a Plea for us in his account Can we enjoy the merited Effects of Christ's Death and that Death not be reckoned what secures to us those Effects against the Challenges which the Merits of it were designed to answer Finally Do not these Divines oft rest on and plead with God the Merits of Christ more immediately and directly than a denial of Imputation will admit when they rest on Christ's Righteousness and plead it with God for Pardon tho it's true we could not expect Pardon for it were not Pardon promised for the sake thereof I think their Minds oft act more directly and fully towards the Righteousness of Christ than to intend it thus viz. I trust in Christ's Merits for Pardon as that Pardon is the Effect of that Justification wherein our Faith is accounted through Christ's Satisfaction a Righteousness according to the Gospel-Covenant which Covenant was procured by the Merits of Christ's Death I. grant there may be use of this progressive manner of arriving at Christ's Death for support of our Faith as we confine its regards to the Gospel-Covenant and examine our Interest thereby as a Rule of Judgment But I humbly think that when we plead with God for Pardon for the sake of Christ's Merits we have a more direct Eye to the Covenant of Redemption wherein a Pardon was promised to Christ for Believers in reward of his Death and which the Gospel distinctly expresseth in this viz. That Pardon is granted for the sake of Christ's Death as what procured it in se as well as what merited the Gospel-Covenant which is the Instrument of the Donation of it And so by keeping our Eye on the Covenant of Redemption we plead Christ's Right as more immediately imputable and by keeping our Thoughts on the Gospel-Connexion between Pardon and Christ's Death as the procuring Merit of it we plead Christ's very Performances mediately imputed viz. as our pleadable Security for our certain obtaining and safe enjoying the said Forgiveness 6. The Reasons why these venerable Persons are so intent to deny an Imputation of Christ's Righteousness in se are 1. An apprehension that there 's no such Imputation unless we are accounted by God to have done and suffered what Christ did which would unavoidably induce the Antinomian Scheme as most consistent But that I deny to be the only import of that Phrase for when that Righteousness it self is imputed relatively to the special Effects of it it 's truly an Imputation of it in se and whereas they of the other Extreme say that its being a pleadable Security for our Pardon is but an Effect I answer This Righteousness it self being that Security is an Effect of the Compact between the Father and the Son and it 's not this Effect is imputed but the Righteousness it self as such and by the same Rule as they can deny it to be imputed in se because it 's imputed as a pleadable Security they may better say it 's being imputed for Justification and for Atonement c. would make it to be no Imputation of it in se for those are but Effects and that by virtue of the same Compact 2. A Zeal for the Gospel-Righteousness of Faith But that is very consistent with the imputed Righteousness of Christ and tho both meet in our Justification yet it 's under very distinct Considerations of which afterwards Nor can I forbear again to inform the World that both Extremes arise from too much disregard of the one or the other Covenants wherein the Salvation of a Sinner is adjusted These Brethren forgetting the Covenant of Redemption to which the Gospel-Covenant is subordinate too little mention the Righteousness of Christ the other Brethren overlook the Gospel-Covenant and darken a Gospel-Righteousness of Faith Whereas a distinct respect to the Rule of Satisfaction and Impetration on the one hand and to the Rule of the Application of impetrated Benefits on the other hand would put a Period to their principal Disputes From this Representation of the several Sentiments of the Brethren concerned in the Point before us a mutual Forbearance seems no unjustifiable thing between them who differ most and no considerable Disagreement remains between the others 1. They who think the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness in se is God's reckoning we did and suffered what Christ did claim a tender regard from them who say it 's imputed only as to Effects for they disown the Antinomian Consequences of it and abhor all Abuses of it to carnal Boasts and profane Libertinism of which before How unreasonable then were it to perpetuate Contests about this Point from the ill Consequences of it when those Consequences are denied On the other hand it appears too like uncharitable Rigidness for them to condemn as intolerable such who say Christ's Righteousness is imputed only as to Effects For whatever is the sound of their words they ascribe nothing to Faith or Works which belongs to Christ's Righteousness nor do they detract from the Honour of Christ's Righteousness any thing which these Brethren ascribe thereto and are Orthodox in the Doctrine of Satisfaction against Socinianism and Popery When they say Faith is an accepted Righteousness mean they that it 's a Satisfaction either to atone for Sin or merit Life No they abhor it and confine both to Christ's Righteousness entirely But they do not say Christ's Righteousness is imputed that 's not true for they say it is imputed Ay but not in se. But should that be so would not it be far from a Christian Spirit to be implacable for not using a Phrase which the Spirit of God makes no use of who surely knew how to express Truth as properly as fallible Men should pretend to Yea but the Scriptures speak what amounts to this Phrase And so do they in granting Christ's Righteousness to be the only Atonement and meriting Cause of Pardon and Life and Acceptance with God as righteous Persons But do not they think we stand before God only in this Righteousness of Faith and not of Christ No they assure us that what Righteousness Faith is it 's so by Christ's Sacrifice and Merits and it 's only a Righteousness as a performed Condition of the Gospel describing the Persons who obtain that Salvation which is the Effect of the Righteousness of Christ and whose
Satisfaction still interposeth between the Justice of God and a believing Sinner Neither are they backward to ascribe to efficacious Grace that Virtue whereby we are enclined and enabled to believe Men may expose each other by fiery Debates after such Concessions but he who expresseth most Heat discovers the more ungospel Spirit if not the weaker Cause and weaker Judgment 2. As for such who own Christ's Righteousness in se to be imputed in the second sense and those who say it 's not imputed in it self but as to Effects if they contend the first must quarrel the other for denying in words what he grants for substance and the latter must be warm against the former because he will not join with him in offending the weak and hazarding Truth by rejecting a Phrase which well explained doth properly express what both intend CHAP. IX An Abstract of what helped me to avoid some Perplexity concerning Iustification with some account of our being justified at the Creator and Redeemer's Bar. THO I avoid arguing any Controversy in these Sheets which are designed for Peace yet I think it may promote this healing Design to give a short Abstract of some Thoughts whereby I arrived to Satisfaction in the Doctrine of Justification § 1. Justification being a forensick Act our Thoughts ought not to wander beyond what 's necessary to it as a judicial Sentence nor disregard whatever belongs to that Here the principal Considerations are the Judg the Rule of Judgment the Cause and Person to be tried by that Rule and the Sentence to be past by the Judg on the Person whose Cause is so tried which must be no other than what that Rule of Judgment duly applied containeth Hereby what some call Constitutive Justification is strictly no other than the Conformity of the Person to the Rule of Judgment by which he is acquittable or rewardable or both Passive Justification is no other than the Effect of the judicial Sentence or the Person 's State considered as absolved or to be rewarded or both by the Sentence now judicially past upon him and supposeth a Sentence and is measured by it § 2. A justifying Sentence is past upon every justified Person and continues to pass upon him by the Gospel-Promises applied by an Omnipresent All-seeing Infallible Faithful Almighty God Rom. 5. 1 2. The Gospel-offer is the Rule of Judgment the Gospel in its respective Promises complied with is God's justifying Sentence and that conclusive and effectual tho not so discernable by us as if it were solemnly pronounced 1. Here the transcendent Perfections of God must raise our Minds above Human Judicatories he needs no Evidence because he knoweth all things there needs no Summons to appear for he is ever with us he cannot err in Judgment for he is inflexibly righteous and knows the Rule of Judgment in its extent and allowances 2. We know not what Solemnity this Sentence may be pronounced with concerning us tho out of our hearing what in Heaven where there is Joy for the Conversion of Sinners what at the Throne where Christ is our interceding Advocate c. And sometimes God condescends to make it audible to our own Consciences by the received Testimony of his Spirit 3. This Sentence is in part executed upon every Believer as to what is promised for the present as well as his Title is adjudged to what is reserved for the future The in-dwelling Spirit Assistances peculiar to Christ's Members Answers of Prayer the Comforts of the Holy Ghost and whatever special Actings of Providence belong only to God's adopted Ones are the Execution of the justifying Sentence and suppose such a Sentence past as well as that it is a gracious one 4. God still pronounceth a justifying Sentence according to the variety of his Gospel-Promises tho that great one which alters our State passeth upon our first believing As he adjudgeth us to Pardon and Adoption upon our first acceptance of his Grace so he adjudgeth us non-forfeiters upon our abiding in Christ or persevering acceptance instanced as the various Promises describe the Heirs thereof § 3. The same justifying Sentence that God past by his Promises applied by himself in this Life will be more solemnly and convincingly pronounced at the Judgment-day when the full and perfect Execution of the Sentence is to take place 1. We shall be as truly judged at that day as if we had not been sentenced or the Sentence executed at all in this Life or at Death The wise God who knows the Subserviency hereof to Practical Religion doth oft and most expresly deliver it and in words as if we were all to be among those found alive when the Trumpet sounds 2 Cor. 5. 10. We must all appear before the Iudgment-seat of Christ that we may all receive c. Rom. 14. 10 12. Every one of us shall give an account of himself to God 1 Pet. 4. 5. And what must we give an account of Our Words Mat. 12. 36. Secrets of Hearts Rom. 2. 16. use of Talents Mat. 25. Heb. 13. 17. our Works c. that is every thing as gives Evidence concerning Mens Condition as it 's determinable by the Rule of Judgment and principally centers in this Have they sincerely accepted of the Salvation offered by the Redeemer 2. The Rule of Judgment and Sentence at that day will be the same as that by which every Believer is justified on this side Death it 's no new or other Sentence but the same more solemnly declared unless you 'll say it includes the entire extent of the Rule for the time of trial as well as that which changed our State 3. The great design of that solemn Process and open Sentence is to vindicate God in Christ as no Respecter of Persons in the extremely different State of the Damned and the Saved both in this Life and Eternity especially such as lived under the offers of Salvation and withal to vindicate his own mysterious Methods towards the Justified in their past Life as also them from unjust Aspersions 2 Thess. 1. Dan. 12. Mat. 22. 25. But to instance no more than the first he 'll convince Angels and Men by manifested Instances that they whom he justified and now saveth were Persons justifiable by that Rule of Judgment whereby the others are condemned and that the Sentence he pronounceth and executes on each is the very Sentence which that Rule impartially applied to their real Cases denounced § 4. The Rule of Judgment in its nature and scope is to be principally regarded in order to right Apprehensions concerning the justifying Sentence This determineth what is a justifying Righteousness and what is not this declares the nature of the adjudged Title whether it be of Grace or Debt dependent or independent thereby is evident what we are adjudged to and whether the Sentence passeth upon several complex Conditions or one particular one for we must be free from whatever the Rule of Judgment denounceth condemnable and not be
Government resulting from a Dominion acquired as Redeemer and therefore may well be called a Law yea and that by which he will judg us 2. The Historical Account of Christ's Offices Fulness Love Death and of Man's Misery the Displays of Covenant Benefits present and eternal Revelations of Divine Truths and Mysteries Gospel-Institutions and Directions whence to derive Grace c. are all to subserve our due acceptance of this Offer 3. If Christ had not proclaimed Pardon and Life to Sinners we had not known that these were to be obtained by any of us If he had not declared that he gave Pardon and Life to such as have Faith and none else we had not been certain whether it were the Believer or Unbeliever were pardoned If he had not told us he gave Faith and then Pardon there had been no known Order of these Gifts If by his Gospel God had not offered Pardon to all if they would accept it commanding their acceptance in order to it promising it upon their acceptance and determining to judg Men as they accepted or refused then there had been only an order in giving Faith and then Pardon but Acceptation had been no Condition nor Righteousness nor had Man been justifiable by it or condemnable to the want of Pardon for rejecting it 4. Acceptance of offered Salvation tho a Righteousness supposeth a meritng Righteousness of Christ and can be no higher a Righteousness than a performed Condition of a Law of Grace by which Benefits already impetrated are given Which Law differs not from a Deed of Gift but that the Donor expresseth a governing Authority in the method of applying these Blessings and resolves to judg them to whom that Offer is made by their acceptance or nonacceptance 5. Our Right adjudged upon our acceptation is a Right of Grace and Mercy and tho infallible it can infer no Claim of Debt 6. This Acceptation is described by the Gospel and nothing is an Acceptation upon which we shall receive the offered Blessings if it be not in its Principle Nature Extent Operativeness and Duration such an Acceptation as the Gospel doth promise its saving Benefits to 6. Tho this Acceptation merit nothing yet Christ's Righteousness being ordained to merit Salvation for such as shall accept of it and this Acceptance being the Gospel-ordained Condition of our personal Interest in that merited Salvation we can be saved without neither of them 7. To prevent Mistakes I add the Elect shall infallibly be brought savingly to accept of this Salvation 6. I consider God applying Pardon Peace Adoption c. to Men that have accepted of this Salvation according to the Gospel-offer 1. He acts herein as a Iudg. 2. The Relations he stands in are as Creator and Redeemer the first ceaseth not tho the other is superadded 3. The Cause is adjusted by the Rule of Judgment described in § 8. and this Cause partly refers to what satisfied the offended Creator for this Sinner's Fault and merited Salvation for this forfeiting Rebel Here Christ's Righteousness is the only justifying Righteousness Faith hath no place in God's regard who as Creator judgeth in this matter The Cause is partly also Is this a true Accepter of Salvation for whom Pardon Peace and Glory were promised in the Covenant of Redemption to Christ in reward of his satisfying meriting Death and Obedience and to whom these were promised in the Gospel Here Acceptation is a Righteousness the want whereof Christ's Righteousness is not appointed to supply and the adjudging a Man a Believer intitled to Pardon Peace and Glory upon the Satisfaction of Christ I call Justification active or the Judg's justifying Sentence 7. I call it a Justification at the Creator's and Redeemer'S Bar at the Creator's Bar as far as the Sentence refers to what vindicated the Honour of God's violated Law secured his governing Authority as our Maker and merited the Blessings before which there was no Pardon Peace or Glory for the Sinner tho a Believer none to be offered none to be had by accepting Nor is it a needless thing that the justifying Sentence have an express regard to what that refers to viz. Christ's Righteousness for as it was the alone Condition of Christ's Impetration of Pardon Peace and Life for Sinners so when these are to be adjudged to the Sinner the Honour of the Creator of the violated Law and of Christ's Satisfaction is wisely provided for by an express acknowledgment of and reference to that Righteousness I call it a Justification at the Redeemer's Bar as far as the Sentence refers to our Acceptation or Faith as a Righteousness for the unsatisfied Creator who governeth and judgeth by the Law of Works could make no Offers of Pardon and Glory to Sinners if they would accept nor admit Faith to be a Righteousness and yet considered as a Redeemer as God was when he had received Satisfaction he could not again demand a satisfying meriting Righteousness to acquit the Believer now upon no nor unless under the Notion of a Redeemer require Faith as a proper Condition of Pardon c. because in the Covenant of Redemption it was promised to Christ for Sinners as meerly described by Faith But God in Christ as Redeemer could make the Gospel-offer of Pardon upon condition of Acceptation injoyning that acceptance and promising thereto the Pardon impetrated by Christ and so that Acceptation is referred to in the justifying Sentence of God in Christ as Redeemer as what discriminates one Man who obtains the Pardon according to the Gospel-Promise from him who is judicially debarred of it 8. I think they who are altogether for Faith as the only imputed Righteousness in Justification do too much contract the justifying Sentence by excluding that distinct Respect which ought to be to the Satisfaction and meriting Obedience of Christ whereby God as our governing Creator can admit the Absolution of a Sinner And they who are altogether for the Righteousness of Christ as only imputed in Justification do also too much limit the justifying Sentence by excluding the Gospel-Righteousness of Faith which the Redeemer regards and by which he judicially discriminates who among them to whom Salvation was offered shall obtain it and who of them shall not obtain it May these Hints contribute to an Agreement between these worthy Persons at least encline all to Christian Forbearance I shall reckon it worth all my Labour and Sufferings O that the God of Peace would give us Peace by any just means FINIS a Crell vol. 2. in 2 Cor. 5. 14. Resp. ad Grot. cap. 9. par 2. b Crell vol. 3. Resp. ad Grot. cap. 9 10. c Crell Resp. ad Grot. cap. 9. d Crell Resp. ad Grot. cap. 10. Socin de Servat lib. 2. c. 13. e Tom. 1. Prael cap. 21 p. 580. f Crell Resp. ad Grot. cap. 1. par 11. g Crell Resp. ad Grot. cap. 7 8. h Crell vol. 2. in 2. Cor. 5. 14. Slicht Tom. 2. in 2 Cor. 5. 31. a Slicht in Rom. 3. 24. Phil. 2. 9. Crell Resp. ad Grot. cap. 2. par 1. cap. 4. par 7. b Idem ubi sup ad cap. 5. c Crell Resp. ad Grot. 215 198 199. d Ubi supra cap. 7. cap. 1. e Crell vol. 1. 612 613. f Socin Tom. 1. 596. Crell vol. 620 621. g Crell vol. 1. 612 614 616. h Socin Tom. 1. 578 579. cap. 21. p. 580 599. i Crell Tom. 1. 619. Wolz. vol. 1. Pralect cap. 2. k Socin 1. Tom. 590 594. Slicht Tom. 2. 37. Crell vol. 2. in Heb. 9. 13 14 15. l Socin Tom. 1. p. 667. Crell Tom. 1. 618. m Socin Tom. 1. 575 596. n Socin Tom. 1. 577 588. o Socin Tom. 1. 586. Crell vol. 2. par 2. p. 285.